Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Gustav as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Gustav

Add to my Name List

The baby name Gustav is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: GUS-tav (IPA: /ˈɡʌstəv/ or /ˈɡʌstæv/); Swedish: /ˈɡɵsˌtɑːv/.

Gustav is Norse, Scandinavian in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Norse, Scandinavian
Pronunciation: English: GUS-tav (IPA: /ˈɡʌstəv/ or /ˈɡʌstæv/); Swedish: /ˈɡɵsˌtɑːv/

What is the meaning of the name Gustav ?

The baby name Gustav is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: GUS-tav (IPA: /ˈɡʌstəv/ or /ˈɡʌstæv/); Swedish: /ˈɡɵsˌtɑːv/.

Gustav is Norse, Scandinavian in Origin.

Gustav is a Scandinavian given name, from Old Swedish Gustaf/Gustav, likely built on Old Norse elements Gautr (Geat/Goth) + stafr (staff). The usual sense is “staff/support of the Goths,” sometimes broadened to “royal staff.” Its Latinized form Gustavus underpins Romance variants like Gustavo (Spanish/Portuguese/Italian) and the French Gustave; other forms include Gustaf (traditional Swedish court spelling), Gösta (Swedish diminutive turned standalone), Gustaw (Polish), and Gústáv (Slovak). Common nicknames are Gus and, in Sweden, Gösta.

The name’s stature was cemented by Swedish monarchs - Gustav I Vasa and Gustav II Adolf (Gustavus Adolphus) - which propelled its spread across Northern and Central Europe. It flourished in the 19th century, borne by figures such as Gustav Mahler and Gustav Klimt. Today it remains steady in Scandinavia and German-speaking countries, while English-speaking parents often prefer the approachable short form Gus.

Gustav has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Gustav

Gustav I of Sweden Politician|royal · Born 1496 · Sweden Gustav I of Sweden was a pivotal figure in Swedish history, best known for leading the country to independence from Denmark in the early 16th century. As the founder of the Vasa dynasty, he played a crucial role in establishing a strong centralized government in Sweden. Gustáv Husák Politician · Born 1913 · Czechoslovakia Gustáv Husák was a prominent Czechoslovak politician best known for serving as the President of Czechoslovakia from 1975 to 1989. He played a significant role during the period of normalization following the Prague Spring and was a key figure in maintaining the country's socialist regime under Soviet influence. Gustav Heinemann Politician · Born 1899 · Germany Gustav Heinemann was a prominent German politician who served as the President of Germany from 1969 to 1974. He played a key role in shaping post-war Germany's democratic landscape and was known for his commitment to civil liberties and social justice. Before his presidency, he also served as the Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior.
Gustav III of Sweden Politician · Born 1746 · Sweden Gustav III of Sweden was a king known for his significant cultural and political influence during the late 18th century. He is most famous for his role in the Enlightenment in Sweden, as well as for his efforts to strengthen the monarchy. His reign saw the founding of the Swedish Academy and the Royal Opera. Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden Royal · Born 1778 · Sweden Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden was the King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He is most famous for his reign during which Sweden lost Finland to Russia in the Finnish War. His rule ended with a coup that led to his forced abdication and exile. Gustav Bauer Politician · Born 1870 · Germany Gustav Bauer was a German politician who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1919 to 1920 during the tumultuous Weimar Republic era. He played a key role in the formation of the Weimar Constitution and dealt with the challenges of post-World War I Germany.

Gustav – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Germany Boys 2025 #1 423
Norway Boys 2025 #18 250 444
NA 0 #30 4 2,537
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
Sweden Boys 2022 #58 190 1,509
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
GE Girls 0 #108 1 1,564
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
DK Boys 0 #113 402 7,401
EE Boys 0 #117 9 2,087
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
Switzerland Boys 2024 #134 4 1,769
ID Boys 0 #134 2 4,130
LT Boys 0 #150 2 2,166
BW Boys 0 #154 1 4,685
NA Boys 0 #167 69 6,830
HU Boys 0 #172 3 3,954
CZ 0 #175 11 3,154
MT Boys 0 #178 2 4,064
DK 0 #179 25 5,198
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
AE 0 #186 2 10,220
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
CZ Boys 0 #197 119 6,530
PL 0 #212 1 2,600
LU Boys 0 #217 4 4,970
IR 0 #220 10 4,221
NA Girls 0 #234 4 7,146
EC Boys 0 #244 3 3,322
GH 0 #244 5 5,396
Austria Boys 0 #251 215 2,180
TW Boys 0 #254 3 7,111
HR Boys 0 #256 4 3,997
SG 0 #281 2 11,010
KZ Boys 0 #292 5 6,578
JP Boys 0 #302 2 7,909
Canada Boys 2023 #303 7 2,601
AL Boys 0 #303 1 5,122
GH Boys 0 #324 22 8,138
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
CN Boys 0 #330 2 9,639
PL Boys 0 #334 7 6,459
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
PL Girls 0 #363 2 5,096
Finland Boys 0 #365 63 2,041
MU Boys 0 #368 2 8,477
ZA 0 #371 77 14,421
France Boys 2021 #379 9 2,865
PT Boys 0 #379 3 7,951
Finland Boys 2026 #384 420 3,552
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
PH Boys 0 #406 3 11,440
UY Boys 0 #410 4 5,922
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
Germany 0 #413 25 2,542
PH Girls 0 #429 1 13,098
CL 0 #431 4 6,867
IR Boys 0 #445 108 10,162
MX 0 #445 1 8,339
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
AR Boys 0 #475 9 7,628
RU Boys 0 #478 28 12,621
GT Boys 0 #497 3 7,625
PA Boys 0 #499 7 9,305
CR Boys 0 #508 3 10,188
CO 0 #509 2 7,768
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
CM Boys 0 #532 19 12,054
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
HK Boys 0 #553 5 12,905
PS Boys 0 #556 6 10,655
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
BO Boys 0 #574 19 9,244
Germany Boys 0 #592 405 5,697
IL Boys 0 #617 9 10,983
ZA Boys 0 #630 672 25,619
CL Boys 0 #638 28 13,390
HK Girls 0 #650 1 16,104
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
SG Boys 0 #735 5 17,960
BR Boys 0 #737 15 12,213
QA Boys 0 #741 3 18,093
SY 0 #765 3 11,684
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
Germany Girls 0 #828 11 4,949
PE Boys 0 #857 22 14,506
United States Boys 2024 #858 35 7,044
TN 0 #861 5 13,765
CO Boys 0 #869 52 15,656
MX Boys 0 #903 80 16,355
Spain Boys 0 #905 26 5,610
NL Boys 0 #905 47 5,873
CL Girls 0 #914 2 14,098
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
EG Boys 0 #925 1 15,035
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
NG Boys 0 #998 4 16,906
PE Girls 0 #1,009 2 14,861
IN Boys 0 #1,037 3 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,139 5 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,175 8 25,439
MA 0 #1,193 7 20,986
DZ 0 #1,230 5 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,233 4 25,928
TR 0 #1,250 5 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,395 77 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,688 4 28,008

Gustav is popular in 73 countries — most recent births per country:

Norway
Switzerland
Sweden
United States
France

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Gustav

Gustav is predominantly a boy's name.
Gustav is a 2 syllable name, pronounced English: GUS-tav (IPA: /ˈɡʌstəv/ or /ˈɡʌstæv/); Swedish: /ˈɡɵsˌtɑːv/.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Gustaf, Gustave, Gösta, Gustavs, Gustavo and Gustaaf.
Yes, very popular — Gustav ranked #1 in Germany in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 9 countries.
Gustav ranks highest in Germany (#1 in 2025).
Gustav's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #59 in 2015 to #18 in 2025 in Norway.
Yes — 10 notable people named Gustav are in our database, including Gustav I of Sweden (Politician|royal), Gustáv Husák (Politician), Gustav Heinemann (Politician).